The Mason List (44 page)

Chapter 52

Eight
days later…

The room
is cold and haunting.  I drift in and out asleep, never gone for any extended
amount of time in case he wakes up.  Jess improves a little more each day even
though he’s in a coma.  The doctors are still hopeful and still perplexed at
his ability to stay alive. 

My father
tries to convince me to leave and stay in a hotel, but I refuse.  I believe
with everything inside my heart that Jess will wake up, and I
will
be
here when it happens.  So I rinse off in the hospital bathroom each morning.  I
sit in the chair all day talking to Jess, like he can hear me.  I sleep next to
his bed each night, listening to the tubes and monitors. 

I hope
for him.  I pray for him.  I wait for him.

Chapter 53

Fifteen
days later…

I rest on
my back, watching the sun reflecting on the ceiling.  They moved Jess out of
ICU yesterday and into his own room.  I don’t notice the sounds of the machines
anymore.  They blend into the background noise of the hospital.  I still talk
to him each day.  I tell him what Skeeter says about the ranch.  I tell him
about the visitors in the lobby.  I tell him more about the baby.  I have
pretend arguments about names.  I talk until my throat gets hoarse and
scratchy. 

Sometimes
I think about his voice.  Sometimes I imagine I can hear his pancake syrup
words.  I can hear Jess laugh.  I can hear him tease me.  I can hear him say I
love you.

Chapter 54

Nineteen
days later…

The room
is warm as I rest on the cot next to his bed.  The doctor wants to remove the
breathing tube from his lungs today.  They tell me this step is considered
progress, but I am afraid.  I have so many thoughts and questions.  I have
spent too many days alone, talking to a person who never answers back.  But
even in my fears, I believe he will wake up.  I still have hope.

Hearing a
faint noise, my eyes flip open.  I roll off the cot and walk over to the side
of his bed.  My heart beats fast and I feel as if I’m dreaming.  The single
blue eye looks around frantic. 
Jess is awake!

“It’s
ok.  Don’t be scared.  I’m here.”  Tears fall down my cheeks as he stares back
as me.  I clasp his fingers on the good arm.  My heart breaks in a thousand
pieces as I see the fear etched in his face.  “You had an accident.  We're in
the hospital in Dallas.”  I swallow hard, biting my lip.  “Do…do you understand
what I’m saying?  Do you, um, do you know who I am?”

The
doctor said he could have brain issues from the swelling.  I am scared in a
different way now, seeing the confusion, worrying he can’t recognize me. 

“Jess?” I
whisper.

He slowly
nods his head.

“Good.” 
I smile at him, squeezing his hand.  My heart beats fast in my chest, and I
want to faint with relief.  I pull in a deep breath, feeling calmer.  Jess lets
go of my fingers and reaches toward by stomach, placing his hand against my
shirt.  I swallow hard.  “You…you heard me talking?”

He moves
his head up and down, very faintly.

I smile
through the tears rolling down my cheeks.  Reaching over, I press the call
button to signal the nurse.  I pull the edge of my shirt up, exposing the
beginning of the bump on my stomach.  I hold his hand against my body, looking
into the sweet face.  I swallow the thick lump in my throat.  The bandages
cover so much of his skin.  Jess didn’t know the extent of his scars and
injuries.  He didn’t know some of the damage is permanent.  My heart hurts for
him as we stare at each other.

“I love
you,” I whisper.  “I love you no matter what.  You know that right?”

He nods
his head as a tear falls out of his single blue eye.  I lean over, placing my
lips against the corner of his mouth.  My own tears drip onto his cheek.  I
want to wrap my arms around his body and never let go.  I can breathe again. 
My miracle came true.  Jess came back to me.

Epilogue

On a hill
far away, a beautiful house rises up from the ground with a wrap-around porch. 
It reigns over the land like a beacon in the meadow.  A woman stands by an old
stump in the yard.  The bark crumbles from years of the beating sun.  Her
crooked fingers trace the names carved in the blackened wood. 

JESS + ALEX

They
remain old and withered in the stump, followed by eleven more added through the
years as the children got older and the grandchildren begged to have their
names carved in the wood too.   

She turns
and walks up the stairs; her steps slow with old age.  Taking a seat on the
little porch swing, she touches the short, grayish red curls resting on the
back of her neck.  The sun dips down below the earth.  The woman waits
patiently for the show to start in the dark sky.  One by one, the stars come to
life.  She smiles, feeling content.

“Looks
like a clear one tonight.”

She
turns, hearing the voice of the man resting on the other side of the old
swing.  He grins as his single blue eye lights up as bright as the twinkling
dots in the sky. 

“Yeah it
does,” she answers back.  Her heart beats just a little stronger just like it
always did at the sight of his sweet face.  The one right by her side since she
was eight; the one she promised to love until they had no teeth and no hair.

Reaching
over with a shaky hand, her crooked fingers slip into his old, callused palm. 
They rock back and forth as the sounds of the meadow grow louder in the night. 
Sometimes if she listens closely in the breeze, a chorus of small voices echoes
off the trees and the grass.

“What’d
you wish for?”

“Can’t
tell you or it won’t come true.”

“Will
you tell me if it does?”

“Yeah.”

“Promise?”

“Yeah,
I promise.”

Acknowledgements

I want to thank each
and every one of you for reading the story of Jess and Alex.  So many wonderful
books exist out in the world, and I feel privileged that you fit
The Mason
List
into your busy schedules.

I have wanted to
write a novel for a very long time.  Even after I started the process, it took
many years to turn a concept into a full-fledged story.  This book only exists
because of the wonderful people who provided support along the way. 

My husband John, who
believed I could write a novel before I had words on paper.  You would not let
me quit.  Each time I was discouraged, you would tell me to keep going – even
after you read the first draft!  Thank you for always being supportive of my
eccentric, creative ideas.  I know it’s difficult living with a part-time Hobo,
who believes piling up things is being organized.  Without you, I could never write
a love story.  You are the love of my life – fun, fights and all.

My brother Kyle, who
asked if he could wait to see the movie.  Nothing is more encouraging than
someone who thinks my story will be that successful.  You were always
supportive both vocally and financially.  I appreciate all your input –
including the web series idea created on speaker phone while I was driving in
my car.

My parents, Darrell
and Georgia, who have been supportive my whole life, even when I stayed in
school an extra year or so (whose counting) to get a degree in Journalism.  I
have always been a story teller.  As my Mom use to say – “You tell Grandma Lily
stories”, which means I like to include the details.  I think we all knew the
writer was in me, I just had to figure out how to get it on paper.  Thank you
for always asking about my book and being financially supportive of
The
Mason List.
  And most importantly, thank you for encouraging me to read as
a kid.  You bought me stacks and stacks of books, and took me on numerous trips
to the library.

My in-laws, Billy and
Gayle, who have always made me feel included in their family.  You are very
kind and sweet.  I appreciate your support both vocally and financially.  Thank
you for always asking about my writing project and listening to the planning
details.  You have spread the word online and many of my followers are because
of you.  You thought my story would be wonderful without ever reading a word.

My beta readers:
Kelli, Patty, Rachel, Bonnie, Beth, Brittney and John. 
The Mason List
would not be the same without you.  I took your suggestions and factored those
into the final story.  I appreciate each of you for listening to me talk for
hours about plot and characters.  More importantly, you read the beta copy and
loved it – even when it was twenty-thousand words longer.  All of the readers
should send you a GIANT thank you for helping me make those changes.

My writing buddy Dan,
who introduced me to the world of National Novel Writing Month (NANOWRIMO).  I
had wanted to write, but didn’t have the platform to constructively put words
on paper.  Thank you for letting me babble on and on about editors, word count
and writing software.  I’m sure there were many times you wanted to yell, “Just
publish it already!”

My book buddy Kelli,
who gave encouragement to keep writing this story.  You were both a beta reader
and my target audience.  You read original drafts out of context - sometimes
even broken dialogue I created in the notes section of my phone.  When I was
discouraged about a chapter, your excitement over the story would always get me
back on track. 

My editor Anna Floit,
who was tasked with the original 138,000 word final manuscript.  Bless you
girl!  I will always be incredibly grateful for the many hours you put into
The
Mason List
.  I know this project was very difficult at times.  Thank you
for sticking with
The Mason List
!

My photographer
Andrew Lam, who was gracious enough to take my wonderful author photos.  Thank
you for all your help – even when I tried to “glamour” them!

The many family
members and friends, who have been so supportive and encouraging – there’s just
too many of you to name.  Thank you for always asking about my project and
sharing in the excitement.  You have no idea how much it meant to have people want
me to finish.  Writing can be a very isolated hobby.  I had doubts at times and
then I would cross paths with one of you, hearing your kind words.  Thank you!

And thank you God,
who makes miracles possible; whether they are in the form we want, or maybe the
one that needs to happen.  As Alex came to understand in
The Mason List
,
we will never comprehend the grand-master plan, and that’s ok.  “For I know the
plans I have for you.  Plans to prosper you and not to harm you.  Plans to give
you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

About the Author

SD Hendrickson
received a Bachelors of Science
in Journalism from Oklahoma State University.  She lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma
with her husband and two schnauzers. Currently, her days are spent teaching
computer software to oil and gas companies as well as writing technical
instructional manuals.
  The Mason List
is her first novel. 

Visit
www.sdhendrickson.com
for more information on
upcoming projects such as
Red Dirt Claws
and
The Tunnels
.